Assembly Resolution No. 542

BY: M. of A. Solages

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
June 6, 2017, as Mother's Equal Pay Day in the State
of New York

WHEREAS, Mothers who work full time, year round and have children
under 18 at home typically have lower earnings than fathers ($38,000
compared to $55,000), meaning mothers only make 69 cents for every
dollar paid to fathers; this translates to a wage gap of 31 cents on the
dollar, which is larger than the overall wage gap of 23 cents; and

WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Census Bureau, year-round, full-time
working women in 2010 earned only 77.4% of the earnings of year-round,
full-time working men, indicating little change or progress in pay
equity; and

WHEREAS, Even though mothers make less, they are increasingly
responsible for providing for their families; mothers are breadwinners
or co-breadwinners in almost two-thirds of families with children in the
United States; and

WHEREAS, Over a working lifetime, this wage disparity costs the
average American woman and her family an estimated $700,000 to $2
million in lost wages, impacting Social Security benefits and pensions;
and

WHEREAS, Mothers are also much more likely than fathers to shoulder
child care responsibilities, even if both parents work; in dual-income
households with children, mothers spend almost twice as much time on
child care as fathers; and

WHEREAS, In addition, when workplace policies do not reflect
families' realities, with inflexible and unpredictable schedules and
without paid family leave or even paid sick days, it is difficult for
parents to balance family and work responsibilities; nearly one in five
low-wage working moms have lost a job due to sickness or caring for a
sick child; and

WHEREAS, Fair pay equity policies can be implemented simply and
without undue costs or hardship in both the public and private sectors;
and

WHEREAS, Fair pay strengthens the security of families today and
eases future retirement costs, while enhancing the American economy; and

WHEREAS, In female-dominated fields, wages have traditionally been
depressed and continue to reflect the artificially suppressed pay scales
that were historically applied to so-called "women's work"; and

WHEREAS, Tuesday, June 6, 2017, symbolizes the time in the New Year
in which the wages paid to American mothers catch up to the wages paid
to men from the previous year; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 6, 2017, as
Mother's Equal Pay Day in the State of New York, recognizing the full
value of women's skills and significant contributions to the labor
force, and to further encourage businesses to conduct an internal pay
evaluation to ensure women are being paid fairly; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.